Tetsuya Nomura on FF Versus XIII
More background story details, plus mention of the next Kingdom Hearts.
March 2, 2007 - Continuing our report on a recent feature in Japan's Ge-maga monthly games magazine that included new revelations on Final Fantasy XIII and Final Fantasy Agito XIII, we turn to Tetsuya Nomura who, in a two page interview with the magazine, shared more insight on the mysterious Versus XIII project, and even managed to utter the words "Kingdom Hearts 3."
The details on Versus XIII were expectedly vague, but we are starting to get a better image of the unique world that serves as the game's setting. Although part of the FFXIII mythology, Versus XIII takes place in modern times, thus explaining the vehicles and modern-style cityscape that were seen in previous trailers. In the most recent trailer, a modified version of the E3 trailer that was aired at last year's Jump Festa in Japan, we see the main character seated in the backseat of a car which speeds down a highway and eventually emerges from a tunnel. The highway is based on Tokyo's own "Shutoko" expressway system, and the tunnel is based on a specific tunnel near the city's Ginza area. Nomura's development staff drove down this section of road over and over again as part of their research. The only thing missing are the real street signs, although Nomura joked that having a big Ginza sign would be a bit out of place for the Versus world.
The cityscape as a whole takes influences from Tokyo. It's specifically meant to be in the image of the city's bustling Shinjuku area, which is also home to Square Enix's corporate headquarters. Nomura said that he passes through this area every day and always thinks its cool, so he took the chance to make use of it as material for this project.
Nomura also shared a few details which help to clarify some of the game's background story. The cityscape is a part of the main character's home country. But the entire world isn't as advanced. Surrounding the main character's modern city-like country is a world that's stuck in the middle ages. The main character's country is the only one that's reached modern times.
The reason for this split was hinted at in the Jump trailer. As the main character's car speeds down the Ginza-influenced highway, we hear a radio broadcast discussing an end to a cold war. This cold war was over crystals. The main character's country has crystals. In fact, the main character is part of a royal family who has, for generations protected the crystals. The outside world once had crystals, but lost them due to continued war. They focus their resources on weapons rather than the development of their culture, which has left them in their current backwards state.
Incidentally, Nomura likened the main character's royal family to the modern day mafia. In the initial trailer, we saw people in black suits who'd collapsed outside the royal palace. Those are members of the royal army.
The all-CG trailer showed some impressive combat visuals as the main character single-handedly dealt with hundreds of enemy combatants who'd surrounded his palace. For the game's actual battle system, Nomura suggested that we picture something like a realistic Kingdom Hearts. On top of this, the game will have elements of what Nomura referred to as a "TPS," or third person shooter. Your view of the action will change based on the weapon that you're using, in order to give the best control.
In addition to a real time battle combat system, Versus XIII looks like it will have quite the world to explore. Nomura wants to make the main character's entire country into a battle field. He also has to deal with the outside world, though, and he's concerned that the game world may end up being too big. The game will have air ships, over which players will have direct control.
Which brings us to Nomura's mention of Kingdom Hearts 3. A programmer, having heard of Nomura's intentions to add air ships to the game, remarked "Is this Kingdom Hearts III?". Ge-maga followed up by confirming the development of a new Kingdom Hearts game. Nomura responded by saying that it would be impossible to work on two huge projects at once, so he hopes to get started on the next Kingdom Hearts game after having accumulating know-how from Versus XIII.
Elsewhere in the issue, Nomura commented that we'll be getting word on the next Kingdom Hearts project following the summer (note that this implies that the May Square Enix party won't be the unveiling ground, although this issue of the magazine was released prior to the announcement of that event). It's unclear if this is the same project Nomura referred to in the Versus XIII interview, or a side project whose development is taking place concurrently with Versus XIII.
Nomura closed off by expressing his desire to make Versus XIII the last numbered Final Fantasy game he works on as director. Given his ever growing stature at Square Enix, that seems unlikely.
